The governments of Maldives and India on Sunday signed six memorandums of understanding to develop five tourism zones in Addu City and a bottled water plant in Hoarafushi, Haa Alif Atoll.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid and Indian High Commissioner to Maldives Sanjay Sudhir signed the agreements for the projects, which are undertaken under the 'Indian Grant Assistance for Implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects through local bodies' signed on March 17, 2019.
Per the MoUs, tourism zones will be developed in the islands of Hithadhoo, Hulhudhoo, Maradhoo, Feydhoo and Meedhoo of Addu, with the Indian government providing financial support of MVR 7.6 million for each of the projects, amounting to total MVR 38 million. The water plant project in Hoarafushi is worth MVR 8 million.
Speaking to the press after the signing, Minister Shahid declared that the Addu Tourism Zone development will attract private investments in the tourism sector to boost the industrial development of Addu City. He also noted that the water plant in Hoarafushi will produce reusable glass water bottles for individual use, and reusable dispenser bottles for household and office use, as part of the government's plan to phase out single-use plastics.
Highlighting that the six agreements were all targeted towards community development and empowerment, the minister pronounced that they would help to achieve President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's vision to empower island communities by creating jobs, facilitating economic activity and enhancing household incomes.
Shahid thanked the Indian government for its continued support for the development goals of Maldives.
He further highlighted that earlier the same day, India evacuated the seven Maldivian nationals stranded in Wuhan City, the epicentre of the Novel Coronavirus outbreak in China, and thanked New Delhi for the generous assistance and care extended towards the Maldivian people.
High Commissioner Sanjay Sudhir stated that the MoUs indicated India's commitment as a close development partner of Maldives. He expressed confidence that the new projects would bring direct benefits to the residents of Addu and Hoarafushi, and the environment.
The high commissioner also noted that India has thus far evacuated only nationals of Maldives, along with Indians stranded in Wuhan. He declared that it signified both India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy and Maldives' ‘India First’ policy, as well as the fact that India is the first responder to emergencies in Maldives.
He also congratulated Maldives on its successful bid to rejoin the Commonwealth.
The MoU signing was witnessed by the mayor of Addu City Council, Abdulla Sodiq, the president of Hoarafushi Island Council, Mohamed Waheed, along with some members of parliament, and representatives from the President's Office and other government agencies.
Mayor Sodiq and Council President Waheed both thanked the governments of India and Maldives, and assured that the projects will be underway soon.
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